Keyboard and attachment controlled thereby for musical instruments



Dec. 3, 1 24- v 1,520,612

' M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, 1919 ll Sheets-Sheed 1 In Mam/21 0 1' M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSIQAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, 1919 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 In Maw fir.-

Maria jam/151x1 5 2.22%

M.D.$UAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, 1919 v 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 2% WWW Dec. 1924- 1,520,612

M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, 1919 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 f we in r,-

M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, 1919 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 F4 5.- IE III'JY Y MEI Ma rz a/ pamznlyweg faaar'ez- Dec. 23, 1924. 1,520,612

- M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed DEC. 29, 1919 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 Marja zdmz wjuez 03713 Dec. 1924- 1,520,612

M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, 1919 ll Sheets-Shea; '7

fnve'rol of:

Maria zomzfljxqg JtaQ-Tez 2% Z2 /M% Dec. 1924. 1,520,612

M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec, 29, 1.919 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 Ma, wjcz pavnz yjmg g fwavre g Dec. 23, 1924. 1,520,612

M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, l9l9 ll. Sheets-Sheet 1O Mir-1"; Zomfnjzbag- Loareg Dec. 1924- 1,520,612

M. D. SUAREZ KEYBOARD AND ATTACHMENT CONTROLLED THEREBY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 29, 1919 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 Fly. 1.9.

Marja, 2a flin ow 23 J14 2. re}

Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARIA. DOMINGUEZ SUAEEZ, OI AZPEITIA, GUIPUZCOA, SPAIN.

Application filed December 29, 1819.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARIA Donrnonnz SUAREZ, a subject of the King of Spain, residing at 20 Iglesia Street, Azpeitia, Guipuzcoa, Spain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyboards and Attachments Controlled Thereby for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to keyboards and to attachments controlled thereby, for use with harmoniums, organs, pianofortes and other instruments, and among the purposes of the invention are to enable easy transposition, to provide accompaniments automatically and to make it possible to play music which ordinarily would involve crossing the hands, or the fingers of the two hands, without such crossing which is difiicult and requires a highly developed technique.

Heretofore, it has been proposed in such instruments, to arrange the keys of the several octaves in several banks or adjacent rows so that the fingers of the player could simultaneously operate keys which are usu ally remote on the ordinary single bank keyboard. But, it has been found that when this is done the fingers of each hand cannot operate the keys which it is usual for them to operate because one hand will prac tically cover the keyboard whose width is substantially that of a single octave and prevent proper access to the lingers of the other hand.

Now, therefore, it is one of the principal objects of this invention to obviate this disadvantage of the multibank keyboard and in the illustrated embodiments of this invention this is accomplished by providing two similar multibank keyboards so that the keys of one keyboard will always be operated by one hand and the keys of the other will always be operated by the other hand. In one embodiment illustrated all the keys of one board are duplicated by keys of the other board. Either or both boards may have certain keys not duplicated in the other board, but for the most part the above-referred to duplication exists.

Another important feature is the provision of improved means whereby corresp n ing keys in he e ral- Q ta y Serial No. 34lS,224.

be operated simultaneously with a single operation. This is accomplished in the illustrated embodiment of my inventon by providing a special bank of keys and providing means operated by each special key for depressing the corresponding keys of the other banks.

This arrangen'lent permits the operator to play chords in several octaves without individually operating all of the keys. Preferably, the special keys, which will hereinafter be termed universal keys constitute the first bank of keys.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of means whereby transposition may be easily and quickly effected. To do this the keyboard is slidably mounted so as to bring the o1 erating elements of the keys over different sets of controlling levers.

In one embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the keyboard and operated parts are so arranged that seven octaves may be controlled by two keyboards each having six banks of keys and each bank of keys is only one octave in length. In this form each keyboard has one bank of keys whose functions are not duplicated by a bank in the other keyboard, the other live banks of keys each having in the other keyboard a companion bank having the same functions.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of means whereby an accompaniment may be played automatically with the playing of the usual notes. In the illustrated embodiments of this invention an additional reed case is provided for playing the accompaniment notes and means are provided. whereby the accompaniment may be played in major or minor thirds selectively, as desired.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in front elevation showing the operating levers of a musical instrument and the present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a modified form of keyboard.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in igl,

Fig. -l is a sectional view taken on the line l l. Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view or? the form of my invention in which two keyboards each having six banks of keys are arranged to control seven octaves.

Fig. (5 is a similar view but showing diagralnmatically the connections between the upper rows of the two keyboards and the two upper octaves ot the instrument.

Fig. T is a similar view showing the n at lower banks of keys with the connections to the next lower octaves.

Figs. 8, 9, i0 and 11 are similar views showing the connection between the vari ous rows of keys and the various octaves ot' the instrument.

Fig. 12 is a tront elevation partly in sec tion showing the usual instrun'ient operating elements and the siu'iplementary reed case the sectional portions oil? the view being on lines l2 -l2 and 12 4.12 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation in section taken on the line 13l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a modification of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a top view .in section taken on the line 1515 of Fig. 17 showing part oi" the valve mechanism of a modified form of supplementary accompaniment mechanism.

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view in front elevation of part ol the mechanism shmvn in Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary side elevation in section taken on the line H 17 ol Fig. 15. i

Fig. l8 is a side elevation shijnving a noditication of the structure shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

Fig. 19 is a side elevation in section ol' a hannner action adapted to he connected with keys as indicated in a to H.

ln the accompanying drawings the operated portion of the instrument is indicated as having a base 1 (see Fig. 3) and, trans verse rails 2 supported by side plates 3. Fulcrumed to brackets t are the operating levers 5 for controlling the valves in the case of a wind instrument or the strings in the case of a stringed instrument. The levers 5 are held in normal position by springs (l. The levers are divided into tour main ets two on each side of a median line with the heads 7 of the levers of each row in different planes.

The keyboard ot the present invention comprises two sections, each having a trame b slidably mounted upon transverse rails 2 and having a central opening 9 in which the playing keys are located. The playing keys are mounted upon plungers 10 extending through holes 11 in the frames and having their lower ends 12 in contact with the heads or secondary keys 7 of the operating levers 5 so that when the playing keys are depressed the operating levers will be swung upon their t'ulcrunis to open their valves or cause hammers to strike strings as the case may be. The playing keys are supported in normal position by suitable spring means not shown or by the upward pressure of the secondary keys 7.

.tccording to this invention. the one keyboard section is provided for the left hand and the other for the right hand; and in each section the keys are arranged in chromatic order in rows of twelve keys each so that the corresponding keys in different rows are arranged the one behind the other. The keys of the letthand section are preferably arranged in reverse order, so that. the left hand moves over the le't'thand section from right to left n playing an ascending scale or passage. thus providing the same fingering tor the lett hand as for the right hand. l'lowevcr. especially when the improved keyboard to be used or pianotortes. the keys in the le'lthand section may advantageously be arranged as is customary in the usual clavier. In Figs. 1 to 4. the white keys are shown at 20 andv the black keys at 21. The modification of Fig. 2 differs from the showing in the other figures in question in that the black keys 21 are round like typewriter keys and are set at the corners of the white keys 20. is shown in Figs. '1, 2. 3. and 4 the keys are arranged in four rows designa ed by F .1 R and R. For the purposes of identification the white keys of the first row in each keyboard section hear the charac ers 1. the second O6. the third a n and the fourth I These designating characters may be used in the musical notation if desired. In the torn: shown in Fig. 2 the characters are different and are more particularly adapted for a special musical notation.

lt will be seen from Figs. 2 and 3 that in the righthand section 8. th key designated a is the lowest F capable of being produced on that section while the key immediately to the rear (designated 0) produces the F next above. In the let'thand section the key a produces the lowest F capable of being produced on that section. and the kev (3 next be hind produces the next higher F. I may. however. start with any degree of the scale other than F.

.\.s will be particularly described hereinafter. the lowest octave of the instrument controlled by the lc't'thand keyboard section. is controlled by that section alone. but the next octave above is controlled by both tions. and this duplicate control is maintained up through the instrument to the highest octave. which is controlled by the righthand section alone. in other words. the letthand section controls all the octaves llli but the highest, while the righthand section controls all the octaves but the lowest, the intermediate octaves being under the control of both sections. lVhen the keyboard is applied to an organ or harmoniuin, the pipes or reeds are similarly duplicated. To enable the keyboard to be used for transposition there may be additional sets of reeds or pipes provided in the instrument. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 it will be seen that there are at the right seven additional sets of reeds and the same number of additional sets of operating levers 5 and heads or secondary keys 7. Thus the keyboard (or the righthand section of it) may be moved on the ,rails 2 so far to the right as to enable a piece of music to be played in a key seven hall tones higher than it would be played with the parts in the position shown. I prefer to provide in the righthand keyboard section an additional key y immediately behind the key designated 11. The key y is adapted to produce a tone one octave higher than that produced by the key v", and to this end it has a stem 13 for ngaging and depressing a secondary key on a lever 1d to control a reed pitched one octave above the reed which is controlled from key c". \Vhen additional sets of reeds or pipes and operating levers are provided to enable transposition, there should also be additional levers 14 with corresponding reeds or pipes, so that the key 7/ may be used throughout the range of transposition. It can be seen in Fig. 3 that there are seven levers l t in addition to the one over which the key 7 is seated with the parts in the illustrated position, just as there are seven additional sets of operating levers 5 and heads 7 So that corresponding keys in all the rows il to B may be simultaneously pressed by a single operation by either hand, each keyboard section is provided with a row R of universal. or coupling keys, of which the white keys are designated as mm. The plungers 15 of the universal keys are each provided at their lower ends with a trans verse bar 16 extending to and engaging above shoulders (not shown) on the plungers E0 of the corresponding keys in the di'li erent rows so that as a coupling key is depressed the cross-liar 16 will depress all ol the plungers it) and operate all of the corre- -Jponding levers In the embodiment of my invention diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 5 to 11 there are provided six rows of keys in each keyboard section. and the keys in the lefthand section are arranged in the usual manner of the clavier instead of in the manner above described and shown in Figs. 1. to 4-. These rows are designated by R R The instrument is diagraminatically illustrated by a line 17 di ifled in sa r octaves L 1 UL Ill VI, VII. The arrangement is such that the row R in the left hand keyboard is connected, as indicated by lines 18, see Figs. 5 and 11, to the octave I, while the row R oi the right hand keyboard is connected, as indi ated by lines 19, to the octave 11. The row R oi the left hand keyboard is connected, as indicated by lines 20, see Figs. 5 and 10, to the octave II which it will be remembered is also connected to the row R of the right hand keyboard, as indicated by lines 15). The row R of the right hand key board is connected by lines 21 with the octave Ill. The row R oi the left hand keyboard is connected, as indicated by lines 22, Figs. 5 and 9, with octave III, while the row l? of the right hand keyboard is connected as indicated by lines 23 with the octave IV. Rows R" and R are similarly connected as indicated in Figs. 8 and 7 to the octaves TVV, VVI. The row R of the left hand keyboard is connected, as indicated by lines 24: with the octave V1 while the row R of the right hand keyboard is connected as indicated by lines 25, Figs. 5 and. (3, with octave VII. Thus, it will be seen, that row R of the left hand keyboard and row R of the right hand keyboard independently and solely control the lowest and highest octaves respectively and these octaves can only be controlled by the proper keys in the respective keyboards. These octaves are less frequently used and it is not essential in most cases to have them duplicated in both lv'eyboards but this can easily be done it necessary. The other octaves ll to VI are controllable by keys in both keyboards.

The above described arrangement is particuh-rrly adapted for use in connection with pianolortes, and will be referred to hereina'tter in conjunction with the description of Fig. 19. The arrangement in question has. among other marked advantages, one oi? particular importance. in much pianot'orte music of contrapuntal type, the parts or voices converge until they meet and cross each other: and the players hands must also cross (or the fingers of the different hands must do so) in order to keep each voice always in the same hand. it being uni'lesiralilc to swap the voices from the one hand to the other. Playingwhile the ha n ds are thus crossed is extremely dillicult, especially in. fast music. but the present invention makes this unnecessary. Referring to Figs. 5 to 11. it can be seen that the left hand may be playing on the keys oi the row R of the lefthand keyboard section i. e., in the sixth octave oi the instrument) while the right hand is playing in the row R oi? the righthand section (i. e.. also in the sixth octave oi the instrument), but the one hand never crowds or gets in the way of the other.

it is within the scope of this invention to arrange the upper ends of the keys of the various rows to the keyboards in stepped relation or curved and to arrange the keyboards curved forwardly at the ends of the double keyboard or at the ends of the separate keyboards for each hand so as to coincide with the varying length of the fingers which operate the respective keys. Also the shape of the key-tops may, in certain aspects of the invention, be of any suitable or desired shape.

Fig. 12 shows an attachment for an harmonium comprising sets of reeds which are upplementary to the usual harn'ionium reeds and preferably seated behind and above the usual reeds. In Fig. 12, the secondary keys 7 of the usual harmonium reeds are shown, engaged by the plungers 12 extending downwardly from the keys. Above and behind these usual reeds is an air-case 101 which has two rows of reeds 102 and 1.03 and an intermediate wind space 104. The reeds 105 of each row are arranged in pairs, there being one stop pallet for each seed, and one key-controlled valve for each pair of reeds. The reeds 105 are operated from the. keyboard simultaneously with the main reeds of the harmonium. In this way a simple form of accompaniment may be autonatically played, the reeds of each pair being pitched at any desired interval rel.- ative to the pitch of the corresponding main reed. Each supplementary reed has a port 106 with which cooperates the stop pallet 107 weighted by a spring 108. Conuection 110 extend between the pallets and three stops 109. The arrangement is such that one of the stops lifts the pallets of the lower reeds of the pairs, the second stop lifts the pallets of the upper reeds of the pairs, while the third stop lifts all the pallets. The key-controlled valves 111 are mounted on pivoted, spring-weighted arms 112, each valve covering the two outlet ports 113 of :he respective pair of reeds.

The connections between the valves and the keys in the keyboard as shown in Fig. 13 may comprise a rod 11 1 connecting the valve arm 112 with a spring lever 115 which In turn is connected by a bell-crank 11.6 and a rod 116 to a bell-crank 117 operated by the downward movement of the key. As shown in Fig. 13 the front and rear rows of reeds have similiar connections to their respective keys. This structure may be moditied as shown in Fig. 14 in which the heads 7 of the operating members or secondary keys of the instrument are connected by pin-andslotconnections 118 with levers 119 and belli-ranks 120 having their rods 114 connected as above stated to the valve arms 112. This structure may be further modified as shown in Fig. 18 by connecting alever 121 pivoted st 122 at the rear of the instrument, to the operating members or secondary keys. and

connecting the rods 114 directly to the lever 121 thus avoiding the necessity of providing the bell cranks.

The reeds 105 may be arranged in any suitable or desirable relation to each other without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Fig. 1:) illustrates a pianoforte action embodying, or adapted for use with, the keyboard hereinbefore described. The keys 123 of Fig. 10 may be secondary keys adapted to be enga ed by the plungers 12 or they may be the p aying keys themselves. The keys 123 have plunger-5.124 connected to bell cranks which are in turn connected by members 126 such as wires, to other bell cranks 1.27. The latter are connected by members 128, such as wires, to hammers 12S) adapted to strike strings 130. The connections between the keys 128 and the hammers 129 are as diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 0 to 11, the connections 18 to of these figures being designated by 120 in Fig. 10. Hence it follows that every hammer except the hammers in the lowest and highest octaves of the instrument will be connected to a key in the righthand keyboard section and to a key in the lefthand keyboard section, while the hammers in. the extreme octaves are controlled by the respective keyboard sections alone.

Figs. 15 to 17 illustrate a modification of the harmonium attachment hereinbefore described. The supplementary air-case, instead of being provided with stops 109 for controlling the admission of air to the reeds, is provided with pedal-controlled valves in such manner that the one or the other of the reeds of each pair has its port 106 open. In this modification, one of the reeds of each pair is pitched at minor third to the tonic of the main reed corresponding to that pair, while the other reed of the pair is pitched at a major third to said tonic. Each pair of reeds has a valve comprising two leaves 131 and 132, the leaf 131 being provided for the lower port 106 and the leaf 132 being provided for the upper port 100. These leaves are arranged at an angle to each other so that when one of them closes its port. the other opens the other port.

The leaves 131 and 132 are connected to cross rods 133 pivotally supported and having arms 1341. whereby they ma v be operated. For convenience the arms 134 of opposite rods 133 cross each other and are operated by a single rod 135. Vhen the rod 135 is pulled down the valves are sin'iultaneouslv rocked to close the lower ports 106 and open the upper ports at the same time. \Vheu the rod 135 is pushed up the reverse operation takes place.

Attimes, it is desirable that only the ports controlled by the right hand keyboard be controlled and therefore the rod 133 for the right hand valves and the rod 133 for the left hand valves are made separate with the provision of means whereby they may be coupled. for simultaneous control. Means for this purpose are diagrai'runaticaliy illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16 in which figures the rods 133 of the left hand side are slidahly mounted so that a triangular end 186 may be made to engage a similar recess 13'? in the right hand rod 133. Suitable means for moving the left hand rod 133 are diagrammatically shown.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of my invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A keyboard for musical instruments comprising a plurality of rows of keys each row of keys comprising two parts, each part embracing solely one octave and the next row of keys embracing the next octave and at least part of another octave.

2. A keyboard comprising a frame and rows of flat surfaced keys in said frame arranged in chromatic order, each row including twelve keys so that correponding keys in different rows are disposed one behind another, said corresponding lie s in different rows being disposed in the same plane.

3. In a keyboard, two independently movable frames and keys in each frame arranged in rows of twelve keys each in chromatic order, the corresponding keys in the different rows being arranged in the same horizontal plane.

l. A keyboard for an harmonium, comprising a righthand keyboard section and a structurally separate lefthand keyboard section, and rows of chromatically arranged keys in each section, the keys of the lefthand section ascending in pitch from right to left and the keys of the righthand section ascending in pitch from left to right.

5. A keyboard as claimed in claim 4, including in each section a row of coupling keys.

6. A keyboard as claimed in claim l, in cluding key behind the first key of the rearmost row of keys in the righthand keyboard section.

7. In a musical instrument, sound-producing means, secondary keys for actuating said means, rails above said secondary keys, and a keyboard slid-ably supported on said rails, said keyboard having playing keys chromatically arranged in rows of twelve keys each one behind another, and plungers connected with the playing keys to engage the secondary keys.

8. in an harmoninm havng main reeds and secondary keys for controlling the admission of air thereto; an attachment coming two rows of reeds arranged in pairs, -nd space between said rows, a keycon trolled valve for each pair of reeds, and independently controlled valve means for each reed; a keyboard including keys having plunger-s to engage the secondary keys; and connections from said valves to said plungers to enable simultaneous actuation of the main reeds and the reeds of the attachment.

9. in the harmonium attachment of claim 8, pedal-controlled, t'iap valves to govern the admission of air to the reeds, each valve comprising two leaves arranged at an angle to each. other so that one leaf prevents the entrance of air to its reed while the other leaf permits such entrance to the other reed of "the pair, the reeds of each pair being pitched at major and minor thirds respectively to the pitch of the corresponding main reed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MARIA. DOMINGUEZ SUAREZ.

Witnesses leNAoro G. Unnus'rnmo, ANGEL Esoonnno. 

